TL;DR – A delightfully silly exploration of the world of spying through a Kiwi lens.

Disclosure – I viewed this on ABC iView.

New Zealand Spy Review Introduction –

There is a wide range of ways you can attack the spy genre, and time and time again has shown that farce is a perfectly valid way of achieving that. Today, we are looking at an example of this from my next-door neighbours, and all-round nice guys, New Zealand, who hopefully won’t betray that kindness by casting the Australians as the bad guys.  

So, to set the scene, a man clad in white races down a side of a mountain in skis as bullets fly. Michael Brown (Paul Williams) wants to be a spy; good thing there are only three applicants for five positions, so he just got lucky. After training, Michael is sent on his first mission to Queenstown, with Sue Nightingale (Rose Matafeo) and Michael Anderson (Joe Thomas), to see why the head of Australian Intelligence just touched down. Though maybe the training to be a spy should be longer than two weeks? Now, from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

Dry as a Martini

While not a lot of this series is that big laugh-out-loud style of humour, it is instead full of charm that can’t help but bring a smile to your face. Part of that comes from knowing how to hold the awkwardness in a scene beyond what you can expect. A great example of this is when Michael and Michael get caught trying to change into enemy costumes by a guard, and Michael tries to explain why he is wearing a wetsuit. Or The Boss (Bret McKenzie) trying to have a video call with someone who does not have a camera on the other end. Kiwi comedy can be very dry and sardonic, which means that it can sneak up on you when you are not looking.

Farce as Art

I am not sure I have ever seen, or expected to see, James Bond parodied through the lens of cross-Tasman rivalries brought on by the coming accession of England into the European Economic Community. It is such a stupid yet plausible setting for a spy thriller between the Aussies and the Kiwis as they try to stake their claim on this new geopolitical world. The 1970s setting also allows you to lean into the visual iconography of the time. The series also perfectly satirises New Zealand society in a way that you can only do to yourself, complete hilarious honesty.

Rip Around the Country

There are so many factors that are direct takes on classic spy genre films: the henchmen dropping like flies, secret bases, the comedic arch villain with the overly complicated evil plan, and a scandalous betrayal for good measure. One of the recurring gags that I loved was the series tapping into that feel you get in Bond or Mission: Impossible films where they galivant across the world, but it is just New Zealand. Especially when that means getting some completely anachronistic Lord of the Rings font when they visit Marlborough, it is all of these details that help bring this world to life.

 A Touch Reserved

If there were one thing I would have liked, it was if they were a touch more consistent with the tone they were exploring. There are moments in this series where everything comes together, and it simply shines. For example: rolling down a mountain during the credits, the train, awkward hospital escape, the final battle, and everything to do with the Indian Foreign Minister (Rohinal Ravinesh Narayan). But there are other parts of the show where you can feel them holding back or that the satire is just not landing how it should. Thankfully, the bombastic nature of a lot of the performances makes up for any issues. Tony Armstrong as an assassin was fun, Andy Lee only painting with blood was a macabre twist, Rose Matafeo holding it all together, and the delightful banter between Paul Williams and Joe Thomas are just some of the delights to be had here.           

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend New Zealand Spy? Yes, I would. Indeed, I might recommend it for the oddest use of Waltzing Matilda that I have ever witnessed on screen alone. It was a fun delight that absolutely captured a Kiwi spin on the spy genre. I honestly hope we get more of it going forward, given the joy I got watching the sheer charm that was this first season. Have you seen New Zealand Spy yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments below.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Feel free to share this review on social media and check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of New Zealand Spy
Directed by – Tim van Dammen
Written by – Paul Williams
Created by – Paul Williams
Production/Distribution Companies – Kevin & Co, BBC Studios, New Zealand Film Commission/Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga, TVNZ2, & ABC iView
Starring – Paul Williams, Rose Matafeo, Joe Thomas, Claudia O’Doherty, Abbey Howells, Sam Campbell, Tony Armstrong, Tim Key, Andy Lee, & Bret McKenzie
With – Greg Johnson, Phil Brown, Bailey Poching, Maria Williams, Toa Paranihi, Vincent Andrew-Scammell, Scott Marsh, Joseph Nathan, Guy Williams, Jessie Griffin, Jackie van Beek, Huxley Silver, Batanai Mashingaidze, James Mustapic, Dion Greenstreet, James Gaylyn, Jonny McBride, Villa Junior Lemanu, Aaron Pulemagafa, Lachie Oliver-Kerby, Rachel Forman, Rohinal Ravinesh Narayan, Joe Daymond, Christie Bakker, Callum Brodie, Lauie Tofa, Shavaughn Ruakere, Cameron Rhodes, Pax Assadi, Carmel McGlone, Scotty Cotter, Jay Ryan, & Rhys Matherson.
Episodes Covered – The Recruits, The Games, The Informant, The Train, The Island, & The End